Mattress spring assembly

ABSTRACT

A mattress spring assembly consisting of a spring base including relatively widely spaced spring members defining a generally planar load-supporting surface, and a padding insulator sheet reinforced by relatively closely spaced wires overlying said spring base, said spring base and insulator sheet being so interrelated that the latter substitutes for and performs the functions of certain elements of the former, such as the border wires and interspring ties normally forming elements of the spring base, thereby permitting a simpler, more economical overall combination.

United States Patent Platt et al.

[451 Jan. 18, 1972 [541 MATTRESS SPRING ASSEMBLY [72] Inventors: ThomasW. Platt; Robert D. MacMorran,

both of Carthage, Mo. [73] Assignee: Flex-O-Lators, lnc., Carthage, Mo.[22] Filed: Jan. 12, 1970 211 App]. No.: 2,278

[52] US. Cl ..5/354, 5/260 [51] Int. Cl ..A47c 23/04 [58] Field ofSearch ..5/354, 260-262 [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTSBronstein ....5/26l Bellgrau ....5/260 Clark ..5/354 2,962,088 11/1960Gleason ..5/354 3,327,332 6/1967 Richardsonetal ..5/354 PrimaryExaminer-Bobby R. Gay Assistant Examiner-Darrell Marquette Att0rney-JohnA. Hamilton [57] ABSTRACT A mattress spring assembly consisting of aspring base including relatively widely spaced spring members defining agenerally planar load-supporting surface, and a padding insulator sheetreinforced by relatively closely spaced wires overlying said springbase, said spring base and insulator sheet 6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Z24 I Z5 MATTRESS SPRING ASSEMBLY This invention relates to new anduseful improvements in mattress spring assemblies, and has particularreference to a novel combination of a spring base and a paddinginsulator sheet overlying said spring base.

Mattress spring assemblies normally include a spring base formed of alarge number of relatively widely spaced apart primary spring units,such as coil springs or serpentine no-sag springs, to define, inskeleton form, a more or less planar loadsupporting surface, joinedtogether by suitable means usually including a border wire surroundingthe periphery of the mattress, and wires connecting adjoining springsover the entire area of the mattress. The assembly may be double-faced,as in the case of a bed mattress or other reversible cushion, orsingle-faced with the spring units mounted directly in a frame or onsome rigid or semirigid base, as in the case of upholstered furniture,vehicular seating, box springs and mattress foundations. It will beunderstood therefore, that the term mattress spring assembly," as usedherein, includes all of the aboveenumerated devices. It is alsocustomary and quite common that the general spring assembly include apadding insulator sheet, usually including relatively closely spacedspring steel wires, said sheet overlying the load-supporting surface ofthe basesprings and having the function of preventing the paddingmaterial, which commonly consists of cotton batting or other fibrousmaterial or sponge rubber, and which overlies the spring base in thecompleted cushion, from working into the spaces within and between thebase spring units.

It has heretofore been the general practice to manufacture both thespring base and the insulator sheet separately as complete and distinctassemblies, then to lay the insulator sheet over the spring base andsecure them in assembly by means of suitable connectors such as splitring fasteners commonly known as hog rings. This general practice hasbeen time consuming and laborious, and therefore expensive, and is alsowasteful, since it results in an assembly wherein, in many instances,the wires of the spring base and the insulator sheet, respectively,either duplicate or are capable of duplicating each others functions andpurposes. Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention isthe provision of a mattress spring assembly including both a spring baseand an insulator sheet as described, but in which duplication of wiresand their functions is largely eliminated. More specifically, it relatesto an assembly wherein the insulator sheet either partially orcompletely assumes the functions of the border wires and interspringties which heretofore have constituted elements of the base springassembly.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of structure, efficiency anddependability of operation, and the provision ofa spring assembly havinga smoothly comfortable, durable surface not likely to become bumpy oruneven in long periods of usage.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appearin the course of the specification, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. I is a top plan view, partially broken away and foreshortened, of amattress spring assembly embodying the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged perspective view of one corner of theassembly shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on line lII-lIIof FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing a modification ofstructure,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on line VVofFIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on line VI-VlofFIG. 4, and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 1, but showing anothermodification of structure.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the severalviews, and referring first to FIG. 1-3, showing one form of the springassembly as contemplated by the present invention, the assembly includesa spring base consisting of a series of coil springs 2, each having itsaxis normal to the plane of the mattress. The upper end convolutions 4of said springs are generally coplanar and define, in skeleton form, theloadsupporting surface of the assembly. In a reversible mattress, bothsurfaces of which are to be used, the opposite load-supporting surfacethereof may be defined and formed by the opposite end convolutions ofsprings 2. In other mattress assemblies, the opposite ends of springs 2can be attached permanently to a rigid or semirigid frame, not shown.Springs 2 are arranged in parallel, spaced apart rows, as shown, the endconvolutions 4 of adjacent springs in each row being disposed closelyadjacent each other so as to touch or even slightly overlap, as shown.For convenience of reference, the edges of the mattress parallel to therows of springs will be referred to as the sides thereof, and the edgesof the mattress transverse to said spring rows will be referred to asthe ends thereof.

The end convolutions 4 of successive springs 2 in each row of springsare connected by split ring clips 6 commonly known as hog rings, asshown, or by other means such as clips, crimp wires, or stake wires, andadjacent rows of springs are interconnected by suitable tie membersextending between said rows, such as the X-ties 8 shown in FIG. 1. Theseties may be cords, or wires of various configurations. Such connectorsas hog rings 6 and ties 8, or their equivalents, are virtuallyuniversally used in mattress spring assemblies. Also virtuallyuniversally used, though not shown, is a heavy border wire of springsteel extending around the peripheral edge of the assembly of springs 2,and affixed to each of springs 2 at said periphery, by hog rings orotherwise.

Also included in the assembly is a padding insulator sheet indicatedgenerally by the numeral 10. As shown, said insulator sheet consists ofa pair of parallel side strands 12 each including a core 14 comprising aheavy wire of spring steel (see FIG. 3) and a sheath 16 of soft,indentable material such as twisted paper, and a continuous series ofclosely spaced apart, relatively small gauge spring steel cross wires 18extending in parallel relation between side strands 12, each of wires18, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, being twisted about each side strand12 in indenting relation to sheath 16 thereof, as indicated at 20, andthen twisted or knotted about itself said side strands, as indicated at22. Also, the insulator sheet may include a plurality of intermediatestrands 24 consisting of twisted paper or other material, without wirecores, extending parallel to side strands l2 therebetween, and piercedby each of cross wires 18. These intermediate strands serve to maintainthe spacing of cross wires 18 generally uniform between side strands I2,and hence cause said sheet to preserve a better support for the cottonor other padding material not shown, which will later be applied overthe sheet, whereby to prevent said padding from working down into thespaces within and between springs 2. The spacing between wires 18 shouldbe sufficiently small for this purpose, about I inch having been foundsatisfactory in most instances. The sheath 16 of side strands 12provides a secure, nonslip purchase for cross wires 18 thereon, andtends to muffle spring noises" to provide a quieter assembly. Theknotting" of cross wires 18 around side strands 12 is of great value inpreventing the possible pulling away of said cross wires from said sidestrands. This insulator sheet is differentiated from insulator sheetsnow in general usage by the inclusion of core wires 14 in the sidestrands.

Insulator sheet I0 is laid over the surface of the base or deck formedby springs 2, with cross wires 18 extending transversely to the rows ofsprings 2, and is of such width that side strands 12 of the insulatorsheet are disposed respectively along the side marginal edges of saidspring deck. Said side strands are then secured to the end convolutions4 of the springs 2 in the adjacent sidemost row of said springs by hogrings 26. Cross wires 18 of the insulator sheet may also be connected tosprings 2, at various points over the entire area of the sheet, by hogrings. This may be done, for example, wherever one of wires 18 isdisposed just above the juncture of two springs 2 where they are joinedby a hog ring 6, by including wire 18 in said hog ring as well as theend convolutions of said springs. Hog rings 6 so utilized are designatedat 6A in FIG. 1.

Side strands 12 may be extended at each end beyond cross wires 18. Asshown in FIG. 7, these extended end portions, designated 12A, may bebent inwardly around the corners of the spring deck to lie along the endmargins of the spring deck, strand portions 12A from opposite sides ofthe mattress extending into overlapping relation and being secured toend convolutions 4 of the endmost springs 2 of the rows of springs byhog rings 28. However, it is considered preferable to terminate strands12A just after their points of attachment to the cornermost of springs2, as shown in FIG. 1 and 2, and to form the end border wire with aseparate wire strand 30, which also may be secured by hog rings 28. Eachend of wires 30 may then be bent around a corner of the mattress, asbest shown in FIG. 2. so as to be engaged by the first hog ring 26 atthe side of the mattress, and then extended downwardly in serpentineconfiguration to form a corner spring" 32, the horizontal reaches ofwhich are curved around the corner of the mattress. Such corner springsserve to stiffen the corner portions of the mattress against verticaldeflection, the corner portions being areas in which spring mattressesare otherwise weak in load-supporting capacity and hence tend to breakdown, and also to support and form padding material later appliedthereover to preserve a neat, tailored appearance thereof. The lower endof each corner spring 32 may be attached to a rigid base if the mattressis nonreversible, or to the border wire l230 of the opposite face of themattress if the mattress is reversible. Intermediate strands 24 may, asshown in FIG. 7, be secured to strands 12A by clips 34 to secure saidintermediate strands against longitudinal movement. Also, in FIG. 1,said intermediate strands could be clipped in a similar manner to endwires 30.

Thus, it will be seen that a mattress spring assembly having certainadvantages has been produced. It provides both the spring base or deckformed by springs 2 and the padding insulating function of sheet 10,with fewer parts than have heretofore been required, in that, forexample, side strands 12 of the insulator sheet perform the functions ofthe border wire, not shown, which heretofore has formed an indispensibleelement of the spring deck itself. Said side strands may either form theentire border wire, as in FIG. 7, or only the side border wires as inFIG. 1. The FIG. 1 species is considered to have the advantage thatwhile it does require the use of separate end wires 30, said end wiresmay also be extended to form corner springs 32, said corner springs alsohaving heretofore been separate elements requiring extra operations fortheir attachment. Also, insulator sheet 10, at least to some extent,takes over the functions of intermediate spring ties 8, so that in somecases said ties may be dispensed with. Particularly with intermediatestrands 24 affixed to the end border members as shown in FIG. 7 toprevent lateral movement of insulator cross wires 18, and with springs 2attached to said cross wires by hog rings 6A, the insulator effectivelyprevents movement of the upper ends of springs 2 laterally of wires 18,and the close juxtaposition of hog rings 6A to intermediate strands 24tends to prevent movement of the upper ends of springs 2 longitudinallyof wires 18, so that springs 2 are held in proper placement over themattress area by the insulator sheet, and ties 8 could be dispensedwith.

FIG. 4-6 show a modification of structure in which helical spring wirecoils are substituted for the hog ring fasteners shown in FIG. l-3 and7. A first helical coil 36 extends around the peripheral edge of themattress surface defined by the end convolutions 4 of springs 2, coilingabout the side strands 12 of the insulator at the sides of the mattressand about end border wires 30 at the ends of the mattress, and alsoabout the end convolutions 4 of the springs 2 disposed at the side andend edges of the mattress, as best shown in FIG. 5. Another series ofhelical coils, each designated 38, extend across the mattress surfacetransversely to the rows of springs 2, each being coiled about one ofcross wires 18 of the insulator, and about the end convolutions ofa pairof adjacent springs 2 in each of the rows of springs, as best shown inFIG. 6. Said helical coils may be spun or rotated longitudinally intoplace as the elements to be joined thereby are held in proper position.The structure shown in FIG. 4-6 could of course also be modified bysubstituting extensions of side strands 12 for end border wires 30, asshown in FIG. 7, and could also include intermediate strands 24 as shownin FIG. 1, and said intermediate strands could be affixed to the endborder members, also as shown in FIG. 7.

The principal advantage of the helical binder coils 36 and 38, ascompared to the hog ring fasteners shown in FIG. l-3 and 7, is that theynot only prevent wires thus joined from pulling apart in a directiontransverse to the coil axis, which a hog ring can do as well, but alsoprevents relative movement of the joined wires in a direction parallelto the coil axis, which a hog ring cannot do. In the present structure,this means that the springs 2 not at the mattress edge are not onlysecured by coils 38 against relative movement transversely of crosswires 18, but are also secured by coils 38 against movementlongitudinally of wires 18, so long as coils 38 themselves are preventedfrom moving longitudinally of wires 18 by their inclusion between sidestrands 12. Thus springs 2 are held in proper relation to each otherover the entire area of the mattress, and ties 8 can be dispensed with.

Although not illustrated, another possible modification would be to usetwo insulator sheets 10 superimposed over each other with the crosswires 18 of one sheet at right angles to the cross wires of the othersheet, and then securing the composite insulator sheet over the springbase and securing it in position along all four edges of the mattress.This would permit side strands 12 to form the border wire around theentire periphery, and the gridwork formed by the intersecting sets ofcross wires 18 would provide a stiffer desk, which is generallyconsidered desireable, would provide better support for padding layersapplied thereover, and would provide for more secure attachment of endconvolutions 4 of springs thereto.

While we have shown and described certain specific embodiments of ourinvention, it will be readily apparent that many minor changes ofstructure and operation could be made without departing from the spiritof the invention.

What we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A mattress spring assembly comprising:

a. a spring base consisting of a plurality of relatively widely spacedapart spring units arranged to define, in skeleton fonn, a generallyrectangular load-supporting surface having side and end marginal edges.

b. a padding insulator sheet including a pair of generally parallelresilient side strands, and a series of relatively closely spaced apartresilient cross strands extending between and affixed to said sidestrands, said side strands overlying the side marginal edges of saidspring base whereby to form the sole marginal edge wires for said springbase, and said cross strands overlying the load-supporting surface ofsaid spring base,

c. a pair of end border strands overlying and defining the end marginaledges of said spring base, and

d. connecting means joining said side strands and end border strands tothe spring units adjacent said marginal edges of said spring base.

2. The structure as recited in claim 1 with the addition of secondconnecting means attaching certain of said cross strands to said basespring units intermediate said side strands.

3. The structure as recited in claim 1 wherein said side strands eachcomprise a spring steel wire core having a sheath of soft, indentablematerial, each of said cross strands being secured about said sheath.

4. The structure as recited in claim 1 wherein said end border strandsconstitute extensions of said side strands, angled to extend along theend marginal edges of said spring base.

5. The structure as recited in claim 1 with the addition of one or moreintermediate strands of flexible material disposed between and generallyparallel to said side strands, and connected to each of said crossstrands at its point of intersection therewith. S

6. The structure as recited in claim 5 with the addition of meansaffixing each end of each of said intermediate strands to the adjacentof said end border strands.

1. A mattress spring assembly comprising: a. a spring base consisting ofa plurality of relatively widely spaced apart spring units arranged todefine, in skeleton form, a generally rectangular load-supportingsurface having side and end marginal edges. b. a padding insulator sheetincluding a pair of generally parallel resilient side strands, and aseries of relatively closely spaced apart resilient cross strandsextending between and affixed to said side strands, said side strandsoverlying the side marginal edges of said spring base whereby to formthe sole marginal edge wires for said spring base, and said crossstrands overlying the load-supporting surface of said spring base, c. apair of end border strands overlying and defining the end marginal edgesof said spring base, and d. connecting means joining said side strandsand end border strands to the spring units adjacent said marginal edgesof said spring base.
 2. The structure as recited in claim 1 with theaddition of second connecting means attaching certain of said crossstrands to said base spring units intermediate said side strands.
 3. Thestructure as recited in claim 1 wherein said side strands each comprisea spring steel wire core having a sheath of soft, indentable material,each of said cross strands being secured about said sheath.
 4. Thestructure as recited in claim 1 wherein said end border strandsconstitute extensions of said side strands, angled to extend along theend marginal edges of said spring base.
 5. The structure as recited inclaim 1 with the addition of one or more intermediate strands offlexible material disposed between and generally parallel to said sidestrands, and connected to each of said cross strands at its point ofintersection therewith.
 6. The structure as recited in claim 5 with theaddition of means affixing each end of each of said intermediate strandsto the adjacent of said end border strands.